Russ Burlingame's Comic Reviews

If sales figures are any indication, more comic book readers will be picking up Action Comics than almost any comic book in recent memory -- especially one at its hefty price point. That is as it should be, as there is a lot to love in this volume. It is not perfect, however -- and what's frustrating is that you can't really add "...but not for lack of trying" to that sentence.

Action Comics #1002 feels like a significant, and welcome, tonal shift from previous issues of Bendis's Superman run. The sense of humor, the Easter eggs, and the hints and teases of things to come " especially on that first page " are fun and charming little bits of storytelling.

Well-paced, well-drawn, and full of heart, humor, and solid character moments, The Adventures of the Super Sons #1 is everything that has been missing from the Superman titles since Action Comics #1000.

The beautiful art from penciler Carlo Barberi and inker Art Thibert, with colors by Protobunker, is a highlight of the issue, delivering exactly the tone they need to sell a menacing cadre of kid supervillains.

The Time Train series, co-plotted with Back to the Future writer Bob Gale and scripted by John Barber, is a spiritual successor to the Back to the Future animated series, with wacky hijinks taking center stage and Doc Brown's children, Jules and Verne, getting as much "screen time" as he and his wife.

Written by Bob Gale and John Barber, the issue still reads like a slightly aged-up episode of the old Back to the Future cartoon, and centers around wacky hijinks most likely to be popular with very young readers.

Pairing a competent-but-generic tale like this alongside an issue from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's legendary Fantastic Four run does Sound and Fury no favors, as the King's rich, kinetic art leaps off the page and Lee's dated dialogue crackles in a way that the lead feature fails to do.

It feels like a million other mediocre indie comics you have already seen before, and fails in one area where Valiant has consistently succeeded in the years since the company's rebirth: production value.

The stakes " both physical and emotional " are incredibly high here, and because Lemire's previous Valiant stories have been known to slaughter some sacred cows, it does not feel guaranteed that a good outcome is promised at the end of it all. If not, the arc itself might become so pervasively dark that it becomes borderline unreadable, but as a first chapter, this is first-rate comics.

Bloodshot: Salvation remains one of the best and best-looking series on the stands, although both the story (by Ray Fawkes and Jeff Lemire) and the art (by Renato Guedes) were a little spottier than usual this week as the book took a hard left into a detour from the title character's magical mystery tour and spent some time in the real world.

The dialogue is fine, although the schtick of Daffy's lisp is something that works better in animated form than on the page, especially when you get scenes that are more dialogue-heavy and sentences that are more complex than Looney Tunes generally supports.

Deathstroke #28 brings an impressive script by Christopher Priest together with mediocre art from Diogenes Neves to create a comic that is surprisingly readable in spite of being crammed full of what seems at face value like far too many plot points.

The "Deathstroke vs. Batman" storyline seems to have blown its wad on a premise that everyone could get behind, leaving the story to wonder how it could keep up with the version fans have written in their heads.

Christopher Priest's Deathstroke is going to be one of those great runs that people talk about for years, and while the Batman arc has been its weak link, Deathstroke #33 is a high point and a great single issue of comics.

Doomsday Clock #4 is arguably the most exciting and interesting issue of the series since #1 " even if the big "twist" is kind of a dud (don't worry -- there's another twist that really, really isn't).

Colorist Brad Anderson turns in some inspired work in an issue that gives us everything Doomsday Clock should be: Johns' character work is inspired, and the narrative gives us several fun mash-ups of DC and Watchmen characters, homages to the Moore/Gibbons classic, and artist Gary Frank's best use yet of the nine-panel grid format.

What is arguably the most fascinating thing about Eternity Girl is the way it manages to tackle all of this darkness, complete with some trippy, spooky, and gruesome imagery, without ever devolving into violence porn or dour hopelessness.

Eternity Girl, one of the most captivating and original series in comics, wraps up its run today, and if you have not been reading all along, do not spoil it for yourself (surely, there will be a trade collection soon).

The Flash #40 benefits a bit from turning your brain off, but it is not because the comic is not good, only that the story of Grodd's pursuit of Speed Force powers seems to be sandwiched between a number of tangentially-related stories, one of which " "Flash War" " has been teased for so long that if you have a passing interest in the comic it is difficult not to wonder how all of this will play into it.

Dense, heartfelt, and gorgeously illustrated, The Flash #44 from Joshua Williamson, Carmine Di Giandomenico, and Ivan Placencia is the perfect end to "Perfect Storm," and sets up the next big story in Williamson's The Flash beautifully.

Joshua Williamson delivers a heartfelt script that propels Wally West's story and makes this issue feel like a direct follow-up to his triumphant story in DC Universe: Rebirth #1, and gives audiences a bit of a calm before the next inevitable speed force storm.

Writer Joshua Williamson channels Geoff Johns for an expository issue that manages to thrill longtime readers and get newer audiences caught up ahead of "Flash War," while Scott Kolins -- who has done some similar stories with this character before -- provides able art assistance.

In any fair universe, Erik Burnham's long run on IDW's Ghostbusters comics would be viewed as the astonishing feat that it is " and Ghostbusters: Crossing Over #1 reads like a master ignoring the call to create a "definitive" work and instead just reveling in the fun and creativity his existing body of work has provided.

An issue-long fight sequence, Iceman #10 shows off Sina Grace's excellent sense of pacing and the care which Grace and artist Robert Gill choreograph their action. The result is a better-than-average fight comic, but there is still only so much you can do with an issue-long fight.

A trip through the history of the Cooper and Jones clans, Jughead: The Hunger #4 has a suitably O. Henry twist to a dark and violent one-and-done story from writer Frank Tieri, but it is periodically undone by uneven art that sometime descends into the ultraviolent and absurd.

While the super-modern coloring is a bit distracting in some spots, the art is beautiful on this title, which sees Star-Lord reinvented a bit to more closely match the hugely-anticipated film adaptation ofGuardians of the Galaxy. The plot unfolds at a decompressed speed that will make for a great collected edition, even if it feels a little thin...and you don't notice the thin plot becuase there's plenty to like about the character work and action. It sets up what promises to be a really interesting series and, like Booster Gold, match humor and heart beat-for-beat while establishing a surprising new mythology for the character. This is a really great first issue. Run, don't walk, to your local comic shop to get a copy on Monday.

The Man of Steel #1 is certainly not a bad comic; it is gorgeously illustrated, engaging, and includes a few very nice character beats. Still, it feels more like a teaser for something potentially really interesting than the beginning of it.

Two issues in, it was hard not to be blown away by Doomsday Clock, baffled by Metal, and intrigued by No Justice. Two issues into The Man of Steel, it feels like time for Bendis to get on with it already.

Decompressed storytelling is what it is, but even if it reads marginally better in the trade, spending literally one page at a time on Jason Fabok's Lois-and-Jon-getting-kidnapped scene is just" exhausting.

The sixth and final issue of Brian Michael Bendis's The Man of Steel, featuring art by Jason Fabok and colors by Alex Sinclair, provides a coherent, reasonably satisfying conclusion to the meandering mysteries of the miniseries, sets up a potentially interesting new status quo, and largely succeeds even while none of it feels particularly awe-inspiring.

It is a fresh start, from a series that was good enough that it did not strictly speaking need one, but the result is a fresh story with gorgeous colors and creative page layouts that leaves us wanting more.

Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa, along with colorist Triona Farrell, continue to deliver one of the most entertaining and YA-friendly comics on the market in Mech Cadet Yu, which ships its eighth issue this week.

Maybe more than any single issue since the start of the series, this captures the spirit of a high-action animated series for kids that seems to be Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa's bar for success with the series.

Mech Cadet Yu features the same creative team (Greg Pak writing, Tak Miyazawa drawing, Jessica Kholinne coloring) that has been on the book up to this point, but the issue feels like the series has "grown the beard" a little bit.

Over the life of its 12 issues, Mech Cadet Yu has been one of the most reliably excellent comics on the stands, and its series finale is a fitting send-off to a book that exceeded its potential in almost every way.

The issue drags a bit here and there, with those minor pacing issues likely caused by the "secret" coming out too soon without sufficient obstacles between our heroes and solving the mystery. Because of this, the back half feels a bit padded, but it is overall a great read.

While writer Jody Hauser and artist Ty Templeton do not recreate the surreality of last week's Justice League of America/Doom Patrol one-shot, the second part of the "Milk Wars" crossover is a strong addition, and Keiren Smith's bold colors give the Mother Panic/Batman special a distinctly otherworldly feel, especially when set against heroes who are all-white and mostly-gray.

The first issue drags a bit, since it has to spend almost half of its pagecount setting up how the world of the story is going to work (a bit like this review), but the eventual payoff is both creative and entertaining.

The whole thing comes together like a Big Two crossover from the '80s or '90s, beginning at around page three and just passing the baton from character to character, introducing the world of the story to the reader in scenes that feel slow and didactic.

The emotive cartooning of Joe Bennett is rarely a poor choice for any project, but Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe " based on a webseries by the Bat in the Sun folks whose calling card is making superheroes look and feel as real as possible in their shorts " feels like a miscalculation.

Aaron turns in a capable script with some terrific character moments in what's ultimately one of the hardest things to pull off well: the middle chapters of one of these universe-spanning event books. It's been years since I've been as impressed with Deodato's work as in this issue, and they picked the perfect colorist for the projectin Frank Martin. The issue retreads a lot of familiar ground and plays with some overused tropes, but it's beautifully executed on a lot of levels. So far, Original Sin is the best Marvel event in years.

The bottom line:Aaron has some pacing and characterization issues in this issue that he hadn't up until now, but the story itself remains strong and he gives some cool moments so it's fairly easy to forgive. Deodato continues to impress, and the mood struck by his art and Frank Martin's colors is perfect. The big twist ending is clever, but somewhat expected.

Writer Daniel Kibblesmith has written a story that will read better in the trade " not necessarily a bad thing, but always a gamble " but he did so without telegraphing that is what he was doing, making this issue a genuine treat.

Rocket Raccoon starts off like a shot, and it ends up in a clever and surprising place. In between, it seems like it meanders a bit, but that can be forgiven when you take into account that this is hardly a first issue, despite that All-New #1 on the cover. The art is beautiful and perfectly tuned to the series, and Young has drawn inspiration from a number of sources, not least of which appears to be source material from Rocket's creator. The downside? Relying heavily on the Infinite Comics and evoking a particular other work so strongly make it feel like this issue doesn't stand on its own all that well...and when you've got 300,000 people reading it, that's going to be an awful lot of first impressions and quite possibly a lot of fairly confused new readers.

Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon remains one of the most consistently entertaining, engrossing, and confounding superhero stories on the racks, even when " as in this week's #231 " a given issue is an imperfect jumping-on point at best.

Erik Larsen takes his long-running, creator-owned superhero series in yet another unexpected direction, delivering a gut-punch of an issue that says good-bye to a long-running character in a way that will shape the book for some time to come.

After the intensity of last month, #234 feels like the stakes have diminished. Still, Larsen handles two distinct plot threads well, delivers some great art, and manages to make everything feel organically like it's coming to a head in both stories at once.

A wild and wacky villain, paired with a major win for Team Malcolm, pulls this issue away from the Very Serious Things Larsen has been doing over the last few months and sets up what appears to be a fun, exciting new status quo for the Dragon family and their friends and allies.

A great jumping-on point for potential new readers, Savage Dragon #238 sees the culmination of a long-running subplot, but does so in a way that is fully explained and satisfying to casual or non-fans.

Ron Wagner's workmanlike art is not as clear a fit for the world of Scooby Apocalypse as that of the somewhat more stylized and occasionally twisted Howard Porter, but it suits this month's issue well.

While DC makes a big deal of the upcoming wedding of Batman and Catwoman, writer Keith Griffen and J.M. DeMatteis, artists Pat Oliffe, Tom Nguyen, Andy Owens, and Hi-Fi have put together a surprisingly touching love story between two characters fans have also shipped since long before "shipping" was a thing.

Ron Wagner and Andy Owens deliver a likable take on Scooby Apocalypse, but the characters feel off-model, and given how important the look of this title is to its brazen, blackly-hilarious appeal, it does feel as though something is amiss.

Mandrake's art is a little stiff for a series that has been so fluid and kinetic all along, but he is a great draftsman with strong storytelling, so ultimately it is not bad at all; it just doesn't feel like Scooby Apocalypse.

Scrappy Doo's re-entry into the series is a nice surprise; it seems as though DeMatteis has an ear for how to keep his personality consistent without making him the irritating character he is so well known for being.

The issue is a dark one, featuring a lot of combat and not nearly as much of writers Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis's sparkling dialogue as fans of the series are used to " but it sets up a curious cliffhanger that just begs to be answered.

Pat Oliffe and Tom Palmer deliver one of the best-looking issues of the series (which is saying something), although their particular style is well-served by the subdued colors in the zombie-inspired Fred flashback sequence that begins the book, and somewhat less effective in later portions where the book takes on its normal garish hues.

The lead feature, from J.M. DeMatteis, Pat Oliffe, and Tom Palmer, is a gem of a story, juxtaposing Daphne's desperation and anger against the hope and joy that Shaggy has in celebrating his forthcoming child.

Geoff Johns returns to Shazam! for the second time in the last decade, and does so while teaming with artist Dale Eaglesham, who worked with Johns on his beloved JSA run. The result is a comic that works with mathematical precision, creating one emotionally resonant page after another, and delivering exactly the fun, zany adventure that fans are expecting after seeing the trailer for the forthcoming movie of the same name.

Terry Moore steps up the pace of Katchoo's road trip through the "Terryverse" in this week's issue, providing some tantalizing clues as to what is going on with Stephanie, Tambi, and the larger story at play in the ten issues of Strangers in Paradise XXV.

Super Sons under writer Peter J. Tomasi has been one of the most consistently entertaining series of DC's Rebirth era, and while it is perhaps not a "great" series, few superhero books have been more fun in recent memory.

Peter J. Tomasi's script is sharp and he has managed to soften Damian Wayne and make him more likable without losing the core of what makes Damian, Damian. he also set up a solid (if a little predictable) cliffhanger for the next issue.

A well-worn premisekeeps the issue from feeling as fresh as we might like for such an important debut, but Johns's pacing and characterization carry the day writing-wise, turning out an issue that's a fast, fun read and delivers a lot of information without feeling like it's all about the exposition. Romita's first DC work could stand shoulder to shoulder with just about anything he's done in his long, distinguished career and if he can maintain this level of quality, this will quickly become one of DC's best monthly titles.

Downer's colors are a high point of this issue, which puts Superboy side by side with his Bizarro doppelgnger throughout. While that makes for some cool, fun, and funny visuals, unfortunately the writing on the Bizarro stuff continues to be a little too" Bizarro.

The writing in this arc continues to frustrate; the team are clearly having an absolute ball, but the determination with which they commit themselves to Bizarrospeak makes sequences " especially ones where Bizarro characters are disagreeing or fighting with one another " nearly impenetrable on a casual read through.

This one feels a lot less cobbled together than the Action Comics Special from earlier this week did, and also a bit more grounded with recent events since the Tomasi & Gleason story picks up threads directly from their run on Superman.

With Superman #1, writer Brian Michael Bendis and the art team of Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, and Alex Sinclair turn in a beautifully-rendered, sometimes thoughtful, but ultimately uneven issue of comics that feels like it would be a very good Superman comic if not for a few strange choices that taint the whole affair.

The Batman Who Laughs #1 is thematically of a piece with a lot of what Scott Snyder has been doing with Batman in the last few years. The idea of exploring Batman's inner demons, his darkest corners and worst fears while still not giving up hope or the occasional moment for quiet character introspection or even -- gasp! -- a joke illustrates that Snyder, who seemingly came on board fully-formed with "The Black Mirror" all that time ago, is in fact still evolving as a writer of Batman comics.

John Romita, Jr.'s name is on the top of the book, and it's for good reason: the success of Silencer hinges almost exclusively on his huge, dynamic visuals (along with the rock-solid inks of Sandra Hope), his command of visual storytelling, and a frantic pace that is expressed through his widescreen, emotive artwork.

The somewhat baffling decision to remove John Romita, Jr. from the "artist-focused" New Age of Heroes title The Silencer does not materially hurt the comic, as incoming penciler Peter Bogdanovic continues his string of doing incredibly difficult jobs very well.

Dan Abnett, meanwhile, uses strong characterization and a surprising revelation or two to convert a frustrating and dull story idea " "the Justice League have benched the Titans because they don't trust Troia" " into something genuinely interesting to read.

Writer Dan Abnett and artists Paul Pelletier, Andrew Hennessy, and Adriano Lucas do the very best with what they have in this issue, which continues that somewhat contrived story of a Justice League who refuses to take the Titans seriously.

Titans Annual #2 takes a setup that feels like it could fit into a 10-page backup story and stretches it out to a 40-page issue, but writer Dan Abnett manages to keep it from being boring by filling those pages with interesting characters and well-written dialogue.